Welcome Once Again to Making Strides, As Promised in Our Last Edition 2008 Was a Year Of

the help of our faithful horses Sugar, Stormy, Lucy, Daisy (owned by Boarder Amy McKay), Peaches (owned by Board Member, Holly Stabile) and Abby (owned by program director, Dana Flaherty), our students progressed wonderfully. Welcome once again to Making In September an opportunity Strides, as promised in our last presented itself to move a portion of edition 2008 was a year of big the program to Morning Star Stable change. Beginning with our change in South Park, PA. This allowed us of location to Coal Center and the opportunity for expansion and to ending with our expansion into South hopefully attract students from Park and Eighty Four, this has been Allegheny County. With the help of another great year and we could not our new equine friends, Cianna, have done it without the help of all of Cinder and April, we are continuing our dedicated volunteers. to expand. Again opportunity knocked and we answered the door, Thanks again, in early October a private facility in North Strabane offered us a place to Dana Flaherty call home. Additionally, another private farm owner in Hickory has offered her facility for use for fundraising activities. With access to four locations, the possibilities for the future are endless. In addition to the new locations, In- Stride with Therapeutic Riding, Inc. Our Future is now offering Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) activities, group In March this year we began our activities, parent/child lessons and program at our new location in Coal educational seminars for local girl Center, PA. West Pike Run scout/boy scout groups and Equestrian Center was a great equestrian clubs. match for In-Stride with Therapeutic Riding, Inc. Owner, Amanda Shank, We look forward to new possibilities was great to work with. Not only did and a successful year in 2009! she open her facility to us and rent us her own personal lesson horses, but she also allowed us to use her facility to host a large portion of our fundraising events (see Fundraising News for more information). With

1 Fundraising News helping with the parade booth and marched in the parade. Kohl’s also Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield made a monetary donation to our made a donation this year that program which helped us obtain helped us to build a ramp and necessary equipment and cover outside mounting block for our insurance costs. students. These items have made it possible for us to accept additional students that we were unable to Ride-A-Thon: On June 28th we held accommodate in the past. These our first Ride-A-Thon at West Pike items have also made it easier for all Run Equestrian Center. The day of our current students to get on their was a dreary rainy day but proved to equine friends. be fun for our few riders who braved the elements with their trusty steeds. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with registering riders and selling food.

Kohl’s Cares for Kids: Kohl’s of Bethel Park is more than just a place to do your back to school shopping. Kohl’s A-Team, headed by Denise July Horse Show: On July 13th we Nicola, provided volunteers to all of held our first horse show. It was a our fundraising events. These hard Dressage show sanctioned by the working volunteers provided WPDA combined with some jumping invaluable help at our events. A- classes. Judge Sue Hershey was Team members/Kohl’s employees, very patient with all of our riders. Denise Nicola, Deborah Kmonk, She took the time to give instruction Angie Sellers, Connie Halk, Lynn to each rider in an effort to help them Presby, John, Kim, Andrea, gave improve their dressage tests. Mrs. their time to help at the Upper St. Hershey also judged our equitation Clair Community Day Parade, and jumping classes. Again she Autism Link event, Ride-A-Thon, took time to instruct riders in ways to both Horse Shows, and the Fall make improvements as well as Festival. Some of the activities compliment riders on their effort and Kohl’s employees helped with were hard work. A special class was selling food at our snack bar, scoring included in the show to dressage tests, collecting donations, accommodate handicapped riders. working the arena gate, helping The equitation consisted of five dismantle the dressage arena,

2 riders, Shannon Martin, Ella Smith, Patrick Rice, Julia Czarniak, John Moralis. Ella Smith and John Moralis participated in an additional class where they rode a dressage test with very limited assistance. All of our competitors did a very well job and we all had a great time. Thanks to all of our volunteers who worked Fall Festival: On October 25th we hard before and after the show to held our 2nd annual fall festival. This make it a success. year’s festival was located at Attorney Betty Mesler’s farm in North Strabane. Many thanks to Betty for opening her facility to us. We had September Horse Show: On st lots of fun activities planned for the September 21 we again held a day from our buffet stocked with fried horse show at West Pike Run chicken, shrimp, sausage with Equestrian Center. It was again a peppers and onions, baked beans, Dressage show sanctioned by rigatoni, honey baked hams and WPDA combined with West Pike more desserts than we knew what to Run Equestrian Center’s Fun Show. do with to the kids corner which Lisa Hall was our judge and she took included pumpkin painting, face the time to help us all work towards painting and a moon bounce (big being better riders. Again we offered fun!). Unfortunately Mother Nature a class for our handicapped riders wasn’t quite so kind and the day and Ella Smith, John Moralis and began dreary and wet, finally the sun Patrick Rice showed us their showed its face and we were back in accomplishments. After the business. Although the rain affected dressage arena was dismantled it our turn out as well as the ability to was time to have some fun. Western have hay rides and pony rides, it classes were the theme and all of turned out to be a very successful our riders had a great time showing day. their equine partners skills. Senior volunteer, Debra Warfield, judged the fun show activities. Some of us had fun (program director, Dana Flaherty and senior volunteer, Debra Warfield) breaking out of our dressage routine and entering the arena of western riding. All in all it was a fun experience for all of our Special thanks for Bear Creek competitors. Thanks to all of our Coffee, they provided coffee, tea and wonderful volunteers who made the hot cocoa with all the fixings, as well day such a success. as a giant coffee basket and ice cream basket for our Chinese Auction. We had three tables and

3 two chairs packed full of items for the Special Events Chinese Auction, many items were donated from various area shops In May we tried our first group outing and stores, some of the items with Autism Link of Pittsburgh. It included were 2 original prints from was a family outing for families with Vince Ornato, 2 Pittsburgh pictures disabled children. The day began from Lois Guinn Framing, a print and with a meet and greet of our horses. framing certificate from Fast Frames, Children and their families got to gifts baskets from Nature’s Horse, brush and pet some of the horses Castle Shannon Vet Hospital, located at West Pike Run Equestrian English Horn, the Shops at Quail Center. Then a picnic lunch break Acres, gift certificates from area was taken while our horses were restaurants and many, many more getting saddled up. The afternoon items. Photos were taken by Ryan ended with a few laps around the Schulz * (check our website for some outdoor arena on the backs of our of her photos). It was a lot of work equine friends. Special thanks to our and we were tired at the end of the very special horses that are so very day, but it was worth it. Thanks to all patient with us. those people who worked so hard to make this even possible.

Welcome to our new 2008 Board Members Dennis Popojas, Esquire Cookies and Milk with Santa: and Holly Stabile, Esquire. Once again Santa took time out of his busy schedule for cookies, milk Congratulations to junior volunteer, and photos. Big thanks to Santa and Julia Flaherty, for receiving the Mrs. Claus for their attendance at Volunteer of the Year Award. We our event. also welcome Ms. Flaherty into her new position as Volunteer Coordinator.

4 Donors:

Thank you to everyone who has Dressage – what is that? contributed to our cause. From Wikipedia Fall Festival Donors: Dressage (pronounced dress- COCA~COLA HALLMARK - DONALDSON ahhzh /ˈdrɛsɑʒ/) (a French term, CROSSROADS most commonly translated to mean THE CHALK BOARD - "training") is a path and destination DONALDSON CROSSROADS of competitive horse training, with GINNY GRANKE-KIMBERLAND- competitions held at all levels from MARY KAY CONSULTANT amateur to the Olympics. Its SIMMONS FARM fundamental purpose is to develop, STARBUCKS - MCMURRAY through standardized progressive ROLLIERS HARDWARE - MT. training methods, a horse's natural LEBANON athletic ability and willingness to ELEGANT IMAGE - WASHINGTON, perform, thereby maximizing its PA potential as a riding horse. At the CLASSIC FANS & LIGHTING - peak of a dressage horse's MCMURRAY, PA gymnastic development, it can BOB EVANS - MCMURRAY smoothly respond to a skilled rider's JULIAN'S BANQUET HALL - minimal aids by performing the WASHINGTON requested movement while CAPPELLI'S BEER & POP - remaining relaxed and appearing WASHINGTON effortless. Dressage is occasionally PETER'S CREEK PUB - referred to as "Horse Ballet" (cf. FINLEYVILLE nl:Dressuur). Although the discipline LOUTSION CATERING SERVICE - has ancient roots, dressage was first CANONSBURG recognized as an important ARABESQUE - MCMURRAY equestrian pursuit in the West during WOW AUTO DETAILING - the Renaissance. The great WASHINGTON European riding masters of that JOHN MCGINNIS & CO– CASTLE period developed a sequential SHANNON training system that has changed LOIS GUINN FRAMING, little since then and classical MCMURRAY dressage is still considered the basis VINCE THE ARTIST of trained modern dressage. FOUNTAIN PRODUCTS, BETHEL PARK VALLEY BROOKE BEER DIST – MCMURRAY SARRIS CANDY, CANONSBURG RT 19 BEER & CIGARS, MCMURRAY

5 BIG FELLAS PIZZA & WINGS, CLASSIFIED: CANONSBURG DRY CLEANING STATION, Betty Ora Grace Mesler, Esquire MCMURRAY Attorney at Law PAPERMART, MCMURRAY 481 Springdale Road SCRAPBOOKERS DREAM, Eighty Four, PA 15330 MCMURRAY 724-942-0349 ADVANCED AUTO, CANONSBURG HEINZ HISTORY CENTER Specializing in Social Security OHH LA LA, QUAIL ACRES SHOPS Disability and Workers COUNTRY CONFECTIONS, QUAIL Compensation ACRES SHOPPS CATTAIL COFFEE & TEA, QUAIL Holly Stabile, Esquire ACRES SHOPS 33 Quail Acres Lane JUST DOGS, QUAIL ACRES Washington, PA 15301 SHOPS 412-310-8039 ARTEMIS BOTANICALS, QUAIL ACRES SHOPS Specializing in Personal Injury, BELLA COLORE, CANONSBURG Estates, and Family Law HUNGRY JOSE, WASHINGTON BRUCHETTAS, MCMURRAY Watkins Associate HONEY BAKED HAMS, BETHEL Dana Flaherty PARK Quality that affordable TRAX FARMS, FINLEYVILLE Call today to book your Watkins BETHEL BAKERY, BETHEL PARK party! LOAFERS BREAD CO, 412-302-5393 MCMURRAY GIANT EAGLE, MCMURRAY Donate your unused horse tack. BEAR CREEK COFFEE, In-Stride is always in need of horse WASHINGTON tack and supplies, donate today! BREUSTERS ICE CREAM, WASHINGTON SUN PORCH, HOPWOOD YOUNGS BAKERY, UNIONTOWN CASTLE SHANNON VETRINARY HOSPITAL STARBUCKS, CANONSBURG WILD BIRD CENTER, MCM,URRAY NATURE’S HORSE, MCMURRAY ACE DISCOUNT PAINTS

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